Pokémon Sword and Shield

Lore & Background

The games are set in the Galar Region, inspired by the United Kingdom. The player character, a young Pokémon Trainer, begins their adventure alongside friend/rival Hop after receiving a letter from Hop's brother Leon, the undefeated Galar League Champion. They join the Gym Challenge, an open tournament to become Champion, by defeating eight Gym Leaders and then winning the Champion Cup against Leon. The Wild Area is a fully explorable open world with free camera movement, where Pokémon appear based on weather conditions that change daily. New features include the Camp system, where players can cook curry and interact with Pokémon, and Poké Jobs, which send Pokémon on requests for experience or items.

Reader's Guide

Pokémon Sword and Shield mark a significant turning point in the Pokémon series as the first games to receive paid downloadable content instead of a third enhanced version. The games sold over 27 million copies by December 2025, making them the third best-selling titles in the franchise. They received generally positive reviews for gameplay, exploration, and mechanics, though some critics noted a lack of innovation. The announcement that many pre-existing Pokémon would be excluded from the games triggered a fan backlash known as 'Dexit,' a reference to Brexit. The games won awards at the SXSW Gaming Awards and Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2019. Their compatibility with Pokémon Home allowed transfers from multiple past and future titles, though transfers to Pokémon Legends: Z-A were one-way and irreversible.

Did You Know?

• The games were first teased at E3 2017 and announced in February 2019.
• Dynamax and Gigantamax transformations last for three turns in battle.
• The Wild Area's Pokémon appearances depend on weather conditions that change every real-world day.
• The games support connectivity with Pokémon Home, Pokémon Bank, Pokémon Go, and several other titles.